I woke up early enough (and quite early ET). The hotel has a great program of partnering with five local breakfast restaurants so you have different option everyday. Sunday is a regular work day here so the city is quite a bit livelier and noisier. Today's breakfast was nothing special but it is a spread - eggs, a basket of fresh bread with cheese spreads and a carrot marmalade, a tomato and cucumber salad, bowl of green olives and coffee and lemonade with mint.
I didn't have a late night but I am definitely off today and happy to have nothing but me time planned.
I felt great Saturday morning and had planned to join a tour of the White City and the Bauhaus architectural style. Breakfast today with Eggs Benedict with salmon at a cafe at the base of Rothschild Boulevard with a nice green strip and lots of shops, offices and restaurants.
Bauhaus style is famous here and it essentially demands a three equal story building with two symmetrical halves joined by a glass enclosed central staircase often referred to as a "thermometer". There are usually private balconies and a common roof terrace. Simple style. And concrete painted white. Unfortunately there are not a lot of good true examples to view anymore.
The tour was a much a history of Tel Aviv and her sister city of Jaffa - as it was architectural. Jaffa is Arab and about 5000 years old and Tel Aviv only 100 years old.
My impression after one day is that Tel Aviv is very much just turning the corner as a cosmopolitan, hipster city. The old houses are being restored into boutique hotels. The food scene is very up and coming and there are office towers and waterfront condos and hotels being built everywhere. There is also some blight. But I suspect that won't last long as apparently there is a huge technology boom here rivaling silicone valley.
After the tour, it seemed the beach was calling. Apparently me and every other person in the city. It was absolutely packed. And it was loud. (Everyone speaks English but as it should be the common language is Hebrew. I heard a bit of French and a very little English but no American English) And the water was calm and clear but not as warm as I expected.
The sun was strong but there was a nice breeze. I have several books with me but whether they get read is up for debate. By 430, the wind turns inland and it cools off quickly. I had no lunch so I stopped by a beach bar for a beer and a snack. The beer was Israeli - Gold Star. The snack was Lebanese cheese with pita. Especially a plate of cream cheese with olive oil, pepper and spices. The bread was good.
Dinners are late here. So after a glass of wine on my ol' pal the roof deck to see if I could spot the official end of the sabbath - when you can see three stars in the sky. I did.
The staff of the hotel is really lovely and helpful. Tonight although I have some other thoughts I am recommended to Port Said which is just 5 minutes from the hotel. Keep in mind this is like a Sunday night for us - but I guess after being stuck with the family, everyone is heads out. This place is essentially in an alley and it is packed with hordes waiting. I am lucky to grab a spot at the bar where there is a DK spinning some interesting vinyl, an open kitchen and two very busy bartenders. I order a beer, ratatouille, sweet potatoes and minute steak. All small plates. The ratatouille is made with tiny eggplants and a very interesting cream, the potatoes are grilled and served with a pile of salt and sour cream and the steak is paired with a cold cream sauce and some diced tomatoes. And loads of fresh bread. (I haven't even eaten bread since October).
It is all very good and while I was happy for the conversation I was joined by a nice but chatty German guy that wanted to talk politics while I ate. Damn you Donald Trump! (And apparently Angela Merkel)
I opted to depart my new friend and have a coffee and a night cap at the hotel bar. It's brand new and there is a nice enough American bartender who informs me he doesn't really work there but is just helping out his chef/friend. Good night but it is time for bed.
[The city has been very quiet but it does not seem unsafe at all. And there is almost no police or military presence. But even though Tel Aviv is far from the borders and always been a safe zone I'm not sure how people carry on such a normal life. And I didn't expect to even think about this. More to come in sure.]
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